When Starfleet took over operation of DS9 in 2369 they overhauled the stations weapons systems. The Cardassian tetrahedral phaser emitters, which the Cardassians had messily removed before leaving were replaced with standard type-IX phaser turrets and type-XI phaserarrays. These emplacements provided near a 360 degree sphere for defense, only interrupted by targets obscured at close range by the docking ring and pylons.

In 2370 when a group of juvenile Horta were causing havoc on the station, teams were station to the base of the sail towers to try and prevent the Horta breaking in and eating them. Miles O'Brien choose to defend Tower 2 and was joined by Gaysd Tel and Battes Ang from security. The trio attempted to hold off the Horta with sustained high power phaser fire but the Hortas proved quite resistant and broke into, and wrecked the towers. (DS9novel: Devil in the Sky)